Gclient: The first Windows Google+ desktop client

If having Google+ notifications in Gmail wasn’t distracting enough, how about putting them in the Windows system tray? With GClient is the first in what will probably be a long line of desktop clients for Google+, that’s exactly what you can do. But it does a lot more than that. Not only do you get notifications, you can access almost all of Google+’s features.

In order to use GClient, you will have to submit your email address to receive a free unlock code, which you will receive immediately.

The app has the exact look and feel of Google+’s iOS interface. The first thing you’ll see when you launch the app and log-in is your stream.

You can comment on other users’ posts as well as +1 them when you open them.

The menu at the top of the bar allows you to easily update your Google+ status, refresh the feed, check-in if your location is available. Clicking Home takes you to the menu, where you can access your own profile, circles, photos and notifications.

The client is fully functional, so you can check out other people’s profiles, see which Circles you’ve added them to, or add new members to your Circles.

While the app doesn’t add anything new to the way that you’re going to interact with Google+, it doesn’t really need to. It gives you a convenient and easy way to access all the main features, minus of course Hangouts and Huddles, which are also absent from the iOS interface.

The desktop app isn’t without its glitches. Every time you open it, it goes back to your stream. This can be a little annoying if you had a profile or page open and wanted to go back to the same spot where you left off. It would also be nice to have the option of re-sizing the window.

That said, the client is still a great way to access Google+ without having to launch the site. If you’ve already been using the iOS interface, you’ll feel right at home using GClient, and the notifications in your system tray are another great way to keep up with what’s being said on Google+.

Lesotho-born and raised, Nancy Messieh, The Next Web's Middle East Editor, is an Egyptian writer and photographer based in Cairo, Egypt. Follow her on Twitter, her site or Google+ or get in touch at nancy@thenextweb.com